Nexus have confirmed that Whitley Bay Metro station has reopened more than a month after damage caused by Storm Otto saw the operator forced to shut it for safety reasons.
The storm damaged glass canopy tiles on the roof of the partially exposed Grade II listed station - and one fell dramatically during the high winds on February 17. Since then, the station has been closed and trains have not been stopping there.
Though the canopy has not been replaced - it is set to be fully refurbished at a cost of £5.3m this summer special "tension nets" have been fitted to protect the public.
Read more: Northumberland woman 'felt powerless' and struggled to even watch TV during Long Covid ordeal
The station was officially reopened to services on Monday March 27. Nexus customer services director Huw Lewis said: "I am pleased to say that Whitley Bay Metro station has been reopened.
"My thanks go to our customers for their patience while we carried out the emergency repair work on the canopy, which had been damaged by Storm Otto. Special tension nets have been fitted to the glass roof panels. Once that work was completed it was deemed safe to reopen. Safety is our top priority at all times.
“We will be carrying out a full refurbishment of the Grade II Listed canopy at Whitley Bay Metro station this summer."
READ NEXT:
- 'Beautiful' Whitley Bay named best place to live in northern England by The Times
- Government pothole pledge 'falls far short' as Newcastle still faces £184m repairs backlog
- Walker care home in special measures after 'unacceptable' management failings
- The 'deliberately inclusive' Northumberland primary school where 1 in 3 pupils has autism or ADHD
- Awards for Tynemouth lifeboat heroes who braved Storm Arwen to save fishing boat crew stranded 73 miles offshore